Chain link



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1..

' F. EGGE.

CHAIN LINK. No. 392,149. Patented Oct. 30,. 1888.

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`GRAIN LINK.

(No Model.)

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PATENT FREDERICK EGGE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SMITH S5 EGGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CHAINHLINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part yof Letters Patent No. 392,149, dated October 30, 1888.

Application filed May 1]., 1888. Serial No. 273,542. (No model.)

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK EGGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Faireld and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain-Links; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to wire chains, but especially refers to such chain as is made up of wire links adapted to run over a pulley without kinking, and has for its object to provide a chain made wholly of wire so braced and re-enforced by its construction as to enibody all the advantages of a sheet-metal chain, while at the same time a much lighter and cheaper article is afforded. A

Prior to my invention it has been essayed to make a wire chain to answer the purposes of a sheet-metal chain in hanging windowsashes; but no chain has as yet been constructed of wire which would not collapse and break or become unfit for use in a few hours after sustaining the weight of an ordinary windowsash. In fact, there is at the present time no wire chain whatever which has been offered to the public as capable of running over a pulley and of sustaining the weight of a window-sash without breaking or becoming collapsed. Therefore, in the present invention I wish to call attention to the especial feature of novelty-na1nely, a twin wire chain-that is, a wire chain which offers a double thickness throughout the extent of each link.

In the accompanying` drawings I have illustrated the preferred construction of my chain from fiat wire, since the latter presents more bearing-surface to a pulley than round or other wire; but I can form and bend up the links equally as well from wire of any shape in cross-section, and accordingly I do not wish to be circnmscribed by the use of any especial wire.

In the drawings, .Figure 1 is a plan View of what I shall call the blank,7 borrowing the term, vfor sake of clearness in description, from the manufacture of sheet-metal chain; Fig. 2, a plan View of a chain made up of a series of links formed from the blank illustrated at Fig.

l; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the chain shown at Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a plan of a blank similar to that shown at Fig. 1, except that there is no twist in the Wire; Fig. 5, a plan view of a chain made up ofa series of links formed from the blank illustrated at Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a side elevation of the chain shown at Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a plan View of a link, showing the free ends of the wire formed into eyes through which the loop of a succeeding corrugated link is passed. Figs. 8, 9, IO, 11, 13, I5, I6, 17, 1S, and 19 are slight modifications illustrating various forms of links whose construction is within the range of ordinary mechanical skill germinating from my invention, and Figs. l2 and I4- show the blanks from which are formed the links exhibited in Figs. 13 and 15.

Similar letters denote like parts in the several gures of the drawings.

' I form the blank shown at Fig. l by twisting the wire beyond the center of the blank,

`so that the ends of the blank are bent at right angles to the widest part or the face of the wire, the object of which is to enable the wire to be bent without cramping or breaking, which might result if the wire were bent at right angles to the edge or narrowest part of the wire. The size and shape of the end A correspond with the size and shape of the opening or eyc B, encompassed by the end C, so that when the blank is folded to form a link the end A will be snugly within said opening or eye, as shown at Fig. 2.

In forming the chain a link is bent from the blank, so that the middle portion of the latter forms loops D, while the ends ofthe blank lie one within the other, as above set forth, presenting the opening or eye Ein the end A. A succeeding blank is now threaded through this opening E and bent and folded in the man ner described ofthe previous blank, these operations being repeated throughout the formation of the continuons chain. Thus it will be seen that not only is there a double thickness of wire extending throughout each link, but one end ofthe blank is braced orreenforced by the other at that pointin the bent link where great strength is required.

The blank Vshown at Fig. is formed by bending the wire without any twisting, so that the edge and not the face of the wire forms.

the bearing-points where the links lare interlooped, and in this construction the wires are pinched together at the bases of the loops, so as to present a finished appearance.

If desired, the free ends of the wire may be curled to form eyes F, as shown at Fig. 7,thus forming separate bearings for the loops of each link.

As far as tensile strength is concerned, it is obvious that the chain is stronger when the free ends of the wire are butted or terminated, as shown, at the smaller end of the blank; but it makes no difference with the construction of the chain at what point in the bent link the free ends of the wire terminate; nor is it of importance, as far as the mere structure is concerned, whether these ends are butted or brought into close proximity or Whether they are bent around the adjacent Wire to constitute a grip, as shown at Figs. 16, 17, and 18, since in chains which are put to uses that do not demand much tensile strength Iean readily dispose of these free ends in very many ways, and at the same time preserve the salient features of my invention-namely, the double or twin wire.

I am enabled to still further strengthen my improved chain by corrugating the end C of the blank, as shown in Fig. 7 at G, in which instance I would not curl the free ends of the wire to so great a degree as that eXhibited in the adjoining link shown in the same figure.

It is a well-established fact that the spirit of rivalry among inventors has not infrequently given birth to systematic imitations of fundamental and meritoriousinventions to such a degree as to amount to downright piracy; and as I fully vbelieve that I am the pioneer in producing a chain composed of links which are reenforced at the eye, so as to practically manifold the tensile strength, I have shown a great variety of links Which would suggest themselves to any ordinary mechanic who has understood my present invention, and which are formed without departing from the gist of my improvement, as is exemplified in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive.

Fig. 8 shows two links, one of which has the free ends turned up at right angles and bntted, the other being the link shown at Fig. 5, with a sleeve, H, encircling the wires which inclose the eye. At the present writing I consider this sleeve as superfluous, but not unimportant, as an absolute preventive against the springing apart or separation of the wires. Fig. 9 shows this sleeve applied to the link illustrated at Fig. 8 with the free ends turned up, and Fig. l0 exhibits a link similar to that last mentioned, but with the turned-up ends separated and not in abutment, the stock of the sleeve being interposed between said ends, and thus constituting the equivalent of the abutting,r ends. Fig. 11 shows the degree to which the link maybe strengthened by the style of bend and the corrugation.

As sheetmetal links have been frequently duplicated in wire, I wish to take precantion against the possibilities afforded by the use of sheet metal instead of wire, and I therefore have illustrated at Figs. 12 and 13 a sheet-metal blank and link identical in shape and form with the blank and link shown in Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. In Fig. 14 I have shown the blank exhibited in Fig. 12, but with a tongue, I, extending from one end; and Fig. 15 represents a link formed from this blank, the tongue being curled around the ends of the blank to form a good bearing-point, and also to prevent the displace ment of said ends, this construction being in close resemblance to that of the link shown in Fig. 8 as provided with a sleeve, II. On the same general principles exhibited in the formation of these last two mentioned links are constructed the links shown in Figs. 16, 17, and 18. In Figs. 16 and 17 the inside wire is coiled around the end C of the outer wire, while in Fig. 18 the outer Wire is open instead of the inner and is coiled around the latter. In Fig. 19 the wires of the link are superimposed and the free ends of one side are coiled around the closed end of the other. This last construction shows one wire re-enforced only bythe coils of the other, and while it is perhaps useless to mention this in view of the other constructions hereinbefore referred to, still it emphasizes the fact that the degree to which the side Wires of the link brace each other is a mere colorable variation fully comprehended in my present invention.

I claim- 1. A link for wire chain having at one end adjacent twin loops and at the other end an eye formed likewise of twin loops, but lying one upon the other and offering resistance to tensile strain in the same lines.

2. A link for wire chain formed from a blank the ends of which are spread to afford eyes of unequal size and are adapted to be contained one within the other when said blank is bent up or folded, substantially as shown and described.

3. A link for wire chain having double or twin loops at one end and at the other end an eye or opening encompassed by double wires, one within the other, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

4. The herein-described blanks for the formation of links for wire chain, the same consisting of a single wire bent to form eyes at each end of the blank, said ends adapted to be contained one within the other, and the middle sections forming loops when the blank is folded to constitute a link, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK EGGE.

Vv'itnesses:

F. W. SMITH, S. S. WILLIAMSON.

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